


Am I really what you idolize? (Be the first to see me fall)

by fondlelarry



Series: The Beauty and the Beast [2]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: AU, Blow Jobs, Bullying, Hand Jobs, Harassment, Human!Harry, Hybrids, M/M, hybrid!louis, non-explicit anal sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-03
Updated: 2013-05-03
Packaged: 2017-12-10 08:00:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,544
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/783704
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fondlelarry/pseuds/fondlelarry
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In a world where most hybrids and humans wants nothing to do with each other, Harry is mesmerized with hybrids, and Louis would do just about anything to be human. Human!Harry/hybrid!Louis</p>
            </blockquote>





	Am I really what you idolize? (Be the first to see me fall)

**Author's Note:**

> So, this is the second part! I'll add more eventually, not sure how long it'll take tbh..! 
> 
> Also, you can find all my fics at fondlelarry.tumblr.com

To be honest, Louis regrets the question the minute it leaves his lips.   
  
Because, yeah okay, Harry seems to enjoy his company, and they’ve had a great few weeks, and a ..summer romance or whatever.   
  
But honestly, _honestly_ , this is were it ends.   
  
  
Sure, they’ve said they’ll keep in contact and text and call and all of that, but they both know they wont, they both know it’ll only take a few weeks for it all to die down.   
  
Because relationships like _these_ \- between a human and a hybrid, they’re destined to fail. And that’s just the way it is.   
  
  
  
It’s not that he doesn’t like Harry. He does- a lot, but there’s just no way that Harry could like him.  
  
Louis settled for the idea that he would be alone for the rest of his life years ago, simply because he can never have what he wants, and he’s not about to settle for a loveless relationship.   
  
There was a time where he used to think about adopting some kids, raising them on his own, because he loves kids. But after seeing what his sisters go through he knows he couldn’t put a human child through the pain of having a hybrid father.   
  
And he wouldn’t adopt a hybrid, simply because he doesn’t think he’ll ever be able to love them.   
  
  
It’s his truth, his fate, his faith.   
  
Even after living in this mixed town, he can’t quite believe it exists. Even after being around Harry and Anne, _humans_ who’s not his family, and still for some reason doesn’t hate him, he can’t wrap his head around the fact that people like them are for real.   
  
Harry’s grandparents weren’t soul mates, couldn’t have been, because humans and hybrids are different species and they’re not supposed to mix.   
  
They’re not.   
  
It’s his truth and he clings to it.   
  
  
  
He stares at Harry with wide eyes, not really believing that he was stupid enough to let those words slip, that his filter flunked out.   
  
He can imagine the kind, sympathetic smile of rejection that will spreads across Harry’s face any second now.   
  
  
Harry turns his head as soon as the smile starts to form though, and says something to Anne, which Louis would probably have heard had he not been so focused on blinking away the tears in his eyes.   
  
Rejection always stings, no matter how expected it is.   
  
  
He is a little confused when Anne gives Harry some money, and he hugs her and kisses her cheek and then walks over to Louis with a big smile.  
  
“Alright, let’s go then!” He says, taking Louis’ hand and leading them towards the bus.   
  
“I- What are you doing?” He asks as Harry pays for two tickets and leads them towards the back.   
  
  
He sits down a little further back from the middle, and Louis just stands there and looks at him, until he’s pulled down into the seat as well.   
  
“I’m coming with you.” Harry says simply. His smiles fades when he sees Louis’ confusion though, and he draws his brows together. “Did you not want me to come?”   
  
“I, yeah, yeah off course I want you to. I just didn’t think you would.” Harry laughs at this, warm and loud, as if it’s the dumbest thing he’s ever heard.   
  
“Why wouldn’t I?”   
  
“Well, I mean, you don’t have anything with you. And I mean, it’s.. your job? And..” Harry continues to smile and places a hand on Louis’ cheek.   
  
“It was only a summer job. Besides, mum knows the boss, she’ll talk to him so that he wont give me a bad résumé or whatever.   
And I can buy new toiletries and clothes, I need something new anyway.”  
  
“Alright.” He says then, accepts the kiss Harry offers, and then smiles as genuinely as he can when he pulls back.   
  
  
He’s glad Harry’s with him, because more time with Harry is definitely preferred above anything else.   
  
He just wonders if Harry will change his mindset when he sees the way real humans, sophisticated humans, treat hybrids.   
  
  
  
  
It’s a long day spent traveling.   
  
  
Their first bus ride is only two and a half hour.   
  
They switch buses at the end station, which is located in a hybrid city.   
  
The station is rather small, and they easily find the platform the next bus is going from.   
They do have twenty minutes to spare though, so they go to the small kiosk located at the station to buy some snacks for the next ride.   
  
  
When Louis took the bus the other way, he barely stayed here for two minutes, so he doesn’t really recognize the place.   
  
It’s weird though, how people smile kindly and politely at him, while they glare at Harry.   
  
They don’t say anything, seeing as Harry and he stick by each others side, but it’s easy to sense that they’re not very fond of humans.   
  
The woman managing the cash register is generally rather rude towards Harry, and when they both ask for a cinnamon bun, she gives Louis a large golden one, dripping with icing, while she reaches for the small, slightly burnt one in the corner for Harry.   
  
“Babe, could you go get a small bottle of milk as well?” Louis asks, eyeing the lady from the corner of his eye, and seeing her ears flicker slightly.   
  
She remains hovering over the bun, until Harry comes back with the bottle, and Louis gives him a small peck.   
  
She hesitantly picks a bun that’s only a tad smaller than Louis’, but still glares a little when Harry shoots her his most charming smile as a thank you.   
  
  
  
The second bus ride is only an hour longer, but it feels like much more.   
  
The air conditioning isn’t working and even though the three sunroofs are open,  it’s still way to warm, and it smells like sweat and urine with a hint of vomit.   
  
They sit only a few rows behind the driver, the smell being the weakest there.   
  
  
Louis ribs are starting to react as well, as sitting in the same position on bumpy roads clearly isn’t helping the healing process.   
  
Harry makes him take a couple of painkillers, reasoning that he’s been off them for days, and he’s allowed to take them if it hurts, and it’s only getting worse.   
  
Louis complies eventually, swallowing them with a few mouthfuls of water and then they share some crisps so that he can get the nasty taste out of his mouth.  
  
  
The radio is on, loud enough for them to hear, so he focuses on that and the road till the pain starts to subside.   
  
Louis eventually buries his head in Harry’s neck and breathes in his scent, and he stays there for the rest of the ride, making goose bumps rise as his lips touches Harry’s skin while he sings softly along to the songs he knows.  
  
  
  
They have a 45 minute wait between that bus and the last one.   
  
The stop is in a mixed town, so they decide to get some food from a fast food chain located across the street.   
  
It’s nice and familiar, sitting across from each other with their hands linked on top of the table, with no one staring.  
It’s surreal to think that this might be the last time in a while that they can do this, be publicly affectionate towards one another without people glaring.  
  
  
On their way back to the bus station, Harry suddenly lets go of Louis’ hand and runs into a small shop, making Louis stand there baffled.   
  
He returns shortly after, a small white bag in his hand, but doesn’t tell him what’s inside.   
  
  
  
The last bus is much more comfortable, the seats comfy and the bus cool.   
  
As soon as they have sat down, Harry grabs Louis’ duffle bag and roams through it pulling out his iPod.   
  
He has a cheeky grin stretched across his face as he takes out the contents of the white bag, a mixed earphone set, one plug for the human ear and one for the hybrid.   
Louis can’t help but laugh and roll his eyes, ignoring the way his belly swoops with giddiness.   
  
  
The bus ride is six and a half hours long, but they mostly just listen to music and cuddle up against each other.  
  
It’s comfortable and sweet and perfect, and Louis drinks it all in while he still can, while Harry still wants him.   
  
  
  
  
They arrive at the final bus station a quarter to ten.   
  
There’s hardly anyone left in the bus, an old lady who may or may not be dead and a couple of teenage girls who smiles cutely at Harry and glares venomously at Louis.   
  
They get up slowly, cracking their limbs and stretching and yawning, before going outside.   
It’s definitely chilly by now, and they’re only wearing thin t-shirts.  
  
  
The station itself is rather empty as well, so Louis doesn’t even have to concentrate to hear the familiar footsteps that are approaching him.   
  
He turns around to face his mum, feeling a pull somewhere deep inside when he sees the bright smile cracked across her face and hears the way her breath is just a tad shaky.   
  
“Hi mum.”  
  
“Louis..” She mumbles softly as she pulls him into a tight hug. Once he feels his throat getting a little tighter, he pushes her back gently.   
  
“So, um, this is Harry.” he says, gesturing towards him, and she smiles brightly and pulls him in for hug as well.   
  
“I’m Jay, it’s nice to finally meet you.” she says as she pulls back and gives him a once-over, then turning to Louis and wiggles her eyebrows.  
  
  
  
Harry and Louis both sit in the back of the car on the ride home.   
  
They chat with his mum, mostly about the trip, and then she asks Harry a few questions regarding work and if it really is okay for him to just drop everything for Louis like that.   
  
His mum seems very pleased by the answers, and the only indicator that Harry is nervous is the way he fiddles with Louis’ tail.   
  
Louis himself doesn’t pay much attention to it, used to the way Harry strokes it with soft moves and pulls at the hairs, but his mum isn’t and her eyes certainly looks surprised when she catches it.   
  
It’s not weird though, Louis has always been extremely cautious about anyone touching his tail, even his family, but she doesn’t comment on it.   
Yet.   
  
  
There are definitely mixed feelings roaming through Louis as they pull up on their street.   
  
It’s good and pleasant, because it’s home; mum and dad and sisters and his own bedroom and the familiar scents and sounds that he’s so used to being surrounded by.   
  
But it’s also scary and filled with a bit of anxiety, because it’s his human town, where he actually can’t go to the shops alone or smile at his neighbors.   
Where’s he’s not welcomed.    
  
  
“The girls, minus Lottie, are asleep already so we have to be quiet.” His mum says just before they exit the car. They both nod, before climbing out, Harry taking Louis’ bag with him.   
  
“I don’t know how you two usually sleeps, so I just put an extra duvet and pillow in your room. I can get a mattress if you want me to?” The words are murmured quietly, unreachable for Harry’s human ears as she walks in front of them.   
  
Both his parents and Lottie are used to communicating with him like that if something’s only meant for him, and in a weird way it brings a sense of comfort.   
  
When she stops to hold up the door for them, he smiles at her and shakes his head, mouthing ‘it’s fine‘.   
  
  
Harry stays behind as Louis greets his dad and sister.   
  
His dad kisses his head and says ‘it’s good to have you home, son.’ and Louis has to take a breath to keep his bottom lip form trembling.   
  
It get’s worse though, when Lottie jumps into his arms and buries her face in his neck and sniffles out a ‘missed you.’   
It makes him wonder how he managed to run away from this, from _them_ in the first place.   
  
“I’m sorry. I missed you too.” He whisper in her ear and kisses her cheek, and she nods up at him with big eyes and a quivering smile.   
  
“This is Harry.” He says then, taking a step back to let Harry through.  
  
Harry shakes Lottie’s hand first, and then his dad’s, and they both glance at Louis with something that feels like approval.   
  
  
  
His mum hands them a sandwich each, and they eat them quickly before they all head to bed.   
  
  
  
Louis’ bedroom is downstairs, next to the laundry room and through the storage room.   
  
They used to have a downstairs living room, but figured they had more use for another bedroom, and his parents used quite a bit of money to redo it, and build in a wall to make the storage room as well, for Louis’ sixteenth birthday.  
  
It’s not very big, and it get’s too cold during the winter, but it provides a certain level of privacy that he didn’t have when he lived upstairs with his sisters.   
  
  
“Right, so this is it.” Louis says, opening the door to his room and stepping aside to let Harry in.   
  
He watches as Harry quickly scans it, the small double bed placed in the corner with a small dresser next to it, a wardrobe across from the end of the bed, and then a big desk placed up against the wall to their right.  
  
“It’s not much.” He adds, but Harry just shakes his head and smiles.   
  
“I like it.”   
  
  
Louis puts his bag down and goes over to his wardrobe, picking out two pair of boxers and pajama bottoms.   
  
“Oh.” He adds as an afterthought, mentally slapping his own forehead. “you probably don’t want a hole in your clothes, you know, no tail and all.”   
  
He feels stupid not thinking about it, for a second forgetting that there are differences between them, that they can never share clothes like that, and the feeling sits heavy in his belly.   
Harry just smiles though, puts a hand on his cheek and kisses the top of his head.   
  
“You go shower first, and when you come back everyone will be in bed, and I can just use a towel to go back down after my shower.”   
  
“I don’t have anything else for you to sleep in though.”   
  
“I can sleep naked.. If you don’t mind?” Louis tries to will away the warmth he feels rising to his cheek, and shakes his head.   
  
  
  
He showers quickly, pulling on the clean clothes and then hurries back downstairs.   
He explains to Harry that there’s a towel and a toothbrush for him on the counter and to use whatever shampoo and body wash he wants, before pushing him out and getting his hairdryer out of the bag.   
  
When he had been staying with Harry and Anne, he usually showered in the mornings, letting his hair and fur air-dry.   
But here, at home, he always showers in the evenings, as there’s not enough hot water for him after his mum, Lottie and Fizzy has showered.   
  
He hates going to bed wet though, his tail has a tendency to hold the water for a while and soak through everything, so he always takes ten to fifteen minutes to dry it, doing his hair while he’s at it.   
  
  
  
He’s still working on his tail when Harry returns.   
  
His hair is wet, clinging to his forehead and the sides of his face, and there are water drops running down his chest and shoulders.   
Harry smiles, well it’s more like a smirk really, and Louis quickly pulls his eyes away.   
  
He runs the hairdryer up and down his tail a few more times, and then moves it to his hair.   
  
He hears some movements behind him, and he turns to see Harry naked, trying to towel dry his hair.  
  
It makes Louis’ breath hitch, because, yeah, sure they’ve had sex, but only once, and he’s only seen Harry naked a handful of times.   
  
He realizes he needs to get himself together when he feels his scalp burn.   
  
  
His hairdryer is good quality, it’s a hybrid one, and his hair dries extremely quickly when he uses it.   
Well, it’s not really for hair though, it’s for fur, so it has to be used on hair with caution.   
His hair is dry within a couple of minutes, and he lets Harry use it after him.   
  
“You have to be careful with it though, it’s meant for fur, so it can actually give your scalp a first-degree burn.”   
  
  
He expects Harry to put the towel around his waist again, but he doesn’t, just hangs it over the back of the chair.   
  
Louis can’t help but admire the view.   
  
Harry’s back is turned to him, and Louis is just so jealous of him, of his body.   
Not only because it’s long and slim and muscular, but because there’s no awkward tail sticking out of the top off his arse, and he can actually stand with his weight on his heels without concentrating on it.   
  
Louis turns away when Harry bends over to dry the back of his head though, because yeah, that’s definitely something he’ll never get used to.   
  
  
“I’m definitely getting myself a dryer like that.” Harry says as he crawls into bed.  
  
Louis is laying on his back, and Harry curls into him, head on his chest.   
He finds Louis’ tail, where it’s sticking out on the other side, and slowly traces his fingers over it.   
  
“I like your tail when it’s all soft and warm. Like when you’ve been out in the sun a while as well, it’s like it absorbs all the warmth.” Louis gives him a small smile, still facing the roof.   
  
It’s hard to appreciate compliments on the body part you hate the most yourself.   
  
  
The fact that it holds warmth so well is pretty much the only thing he does like about his tail though.   
  
In the winter, he sometimes goes to sit in front of the fireplace, let it heat up till it’s borderline uncomfortable, and then uses it as a heater for his hands and feet when he curls up in his cold bed.   
  
  
“Thank you for letting me come with you.” Harry adds after a moments silence.   
  
“Thank you for wanting to come with me.” Louis counters, and Harry smiles, kisses the side of his mouth.   
  
“Does your family know you’re gay?” Harry asks, and Louis shakes his head, ashamed.   
  
“I think they suspect it? I’ve never tried to hide it or anything, but it’s not like I’ve ever brought anyone home either. Obviously.” He doesn’t add that he never really planned to, seeing as he never thought he’d actually meet someone.   
Harry nods and presses another kiss to the side of his mouth.  
  
“Will you tell them about us?” Louis lips twitches upwards, and he finally turns to look at Harry.   
  
“I think it’d only be fair. Since _your_ mum knows, I mean. But I don’t wanna tell my sisters I think, except maybe Lottie. I don’t think the rest would know how to keep it secret.”   
  
“From the rest of the town.” Harry guesses, and Louis shrugs.   
  
“Don’t want to add to their list of reasons to hate me.”   
  
  
“You know,” Harry whispers against his neck, startling him as he had almost fallen asleep. “I think wearing your boxers could be lots of fun. If we lived by ourselves, or were home alone, I could walk around in them all day, and you could have me whenever you wanted.”   
Louis’ breath hitches, the words combined with the warm breath against his skin jolts his mind, and body, out of the sleepy state.   
  
He lies still, listening for any indicators that someone upstairs is still awake, and when he find none, he quickly rolls over, thankful that the painkillers are still numbing his ribs, and lands half on top of Harry.   
  
He doesn’t really know what to say, so he kisses him instead, warm and soft and determined.   
Harry makes a sound in the back of his throat, and it sounds like approval, so Louis licks his way inside his mouth.   
  
  
He can feel Harry’s erection as he thrusts up against his thigh, and his own twitches at the sensation.    
It also reminds him that Harry’s not wearing anything, and his own boxers suddenly feels tight and uncomfortable.   
  
Harry must sense it though, cause he’s pushed onto his back and the boxers are off in a whirlwind.   
  
  
When Harry aligns their bodies again it’s nothing but warm soft skin, and it feels just right.   
  
Harry kisses him deeply, letting their cocks slide together and Louis moans into his mouth, before freezing, remembering that there’s people in the house, and this is definitely not the way he wants them to find out.   
  
“We need to be quiet.” He reminds them both, and Harry nods, wrapping a hand around them and stroking lazily.   
  
They take it slow, their lips constantly attached, sometimes kissing and sometimes just breathing, and it’s a good way to anchor themselves, to make sure no loud noises escapes.   
  
  
Harry comes first and he drops his head to bite at Louis jaw line as he comes.   
  
He moves away a little when he’s spent, and then uses his come as extra lubricant as he starts tugging Louis faster, grip tighter.   
It doesn’t take long till he’s coming as well, and Harry works him through it before he grabs the disregarded boxers and wipes them both clean.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
Louis hears the twins approximately five seconds before they’re in his room, because they’re sneaky little bastards, who has learned that Louis’ is a heavy sleeper and that he wont hear them if they’re really quiet.   
  
The reason he _does_ hear them, is because Daisy suddenly whisper-yells ‘no’ and it’s followed by what sounds like someone being slapped, and then the door handle squeaks when it’s being pushed.   
  
He jolts, jumping to grab the duvet to cover them, because they’re both still very naked.   
He barley manages to cover Harry’s arse and his own waist before the girls sneaks in.   
  
They pout when they see him, and he gets a small sting of guilt that he ruined their scheme, but it passes quickly.   
  
“Hi girls.” He says brightly, and Harry groans.   
  
Daisy and Phoebe peer curiously around Louis, seeing nothing but a bare back and messy brown hair, but they’re shy and silent as they walk over to Louis.   
  
“Hi.” Phoebe whispers, her eyes still on Harry’s back. “Breakfast is ready.” Louis nods.   
  
“Alright, give us a second, yeah, and we’ll meet you upstairs.” They both nod, and then tiptoes out of the room, slowly closing the door behind them.  
  
  
Louis elbows Harry’s waist, and then rubs his hands over his face.   
A quick glance at the  clock tells him it’s not even nine, and he groans, elbowing Harry again.   
  
“Get up.” He says, receiving a mumble as Harry snuggles deeper into the pillow. “Is this really the impression you want my family to have of you? Too lazy to show up for breakfast?”   
Harry sits up at that, and he fixes him with a glare that makes Louis laugh.   
  
His eyes are small and his cheeks slightly puffy, and he looks adorable really, so Louis kisses his lips softly and get’s up.   
  
  
He grabs a clean pair of boxers and pull them on, and he forgets that he’s never actually gotten dressed in front of Harry before, until he’s pulling his tail out of the little hole.   
He’s pretty sure that he blushes down to his chest when he realizes.   
  
Harry only smiles softly at him though, so he tries to wish the color away as he grabs a pair of jeans and puts them on as well.   
  
  
Harry grabs a pair of Louis’ boxers as well, and pulls his sweatpants up over.   
  
The hole isn’t visible through the fabric of the sweatpants, but he still tells Harry that they need to get him some proper clothes, and Harry agrees.   
  
He joins Louis at his closet, arms around his waist and chin on his shoulder.   
Louis raffles through some of his shirts before deciding on one of his favorite band shirts which is thin cotton, cause he can already tell it’s gonna be a warm day, and Harry snatches it from his hand and puts it on himself, even though it’s a tad to short and a tad too tight.   
  
Louis rolls his eyes, but smiles anyway, and pulls out another shirt, this one just plain red with the number 72 in small white letters on his chest.   
  
When Louis reaches for the door to walk upstairs, Harry grabs him and pulls him back, placing a soft kiss on his lips.   
  
“Good morning.” He says, making Louis breathe out a laugh.   
  
“Good morning love.”  
  
  


They get upstairs to see all the girls and his dad settled around the table, his mum filling the twins glasses with juice.   
  
There’s a small silence when they enter, and three smug looks coming their way and Louis groans, wondering what the twins told them.   
  
Harry walks over to Fizzy and introduces himself, and then goes to the twins next. They eye him a little skeptically but accepts the handshake he offers.   
  
“Where you naked this morning?” Phoebe then asks, and Louis stumbles over the chair his pulling out.   
  
Harry just laughs however, which make Louis laugh as well, and then the rest follow, and no one answers the question.   
  
  
Louis tries to be really discreet and aware of the things he does and says to Harry, but still a few ‘babe’s escapes him, and when Harry hands him the milk for his second   
bowl of cereal he is only inches from kissing him as a thank you.   
The chatter around the table is loud though, so he doesn’t think anyone notices but Harry.   
  
“So what are you boys doing today then?” his mum asks, startling him out of his trance.   
He pulls his eyes away from Harry’s fingers and looks at his mum, praying the blush across his cheeks isn’t noticeable.   
A quick look at Lottie’s smirk tells him otherwise though.   
  
“I don’t really know..” He says, because, well, he doesn’t.   
  
“Dad has work today, and I promised Fizzy and Lottie to take them shopping for some new clothes.” She says, and she looks a little apologetic.   
  
“Alright.” He says, and then realizes that this is actually a really good thing. “Actually, that’s really convenient, see cause Harry didn’t bring any clothes, so he needs to buy some new ones! So how about he goes with you girls, and I’ll spend some quality time with my favorite twins?”   
He feels slightly bad for throwing Harry into it like that, but Harry’s a good guy and he gets along with everyone, and he likes people. It really shouldn’t be a problem.   
  
Daisy and Phoebe cheers, and he switches his gaze to his mum, who looks like she’s about to suggest that they all come along, and fixes her with a look that he knows translates to _don’t_.   
Her eyes flickers between him and Harry, and then she grabs her tea and brings it up to her mouth.   
  
“Are you girls alright with that?” She asks Fizzy and Lottie, but her eyes stays at Louis as she mumbles ‘you don’t want him to see how people here treat you.’  
  
It’s not a question but he nods nevertheless, and she smiles sadly at him.   
  
  
  
“Are you sure it’s okay? You could stay in with me and the twins?” Louis suggests for what is probably the fourth time.   
Harry is brushing his teeth and getting ready to go shopping. He spits, and then turns to look at Louis with a soft smile.   
  
“It’s fine Lou. Your family is nice, and I understand that you want to spend some time with Daisy and Phoebe.” Which, yeah, is the reason he gave him for wanting to stay home with them, but it only makes him feel more guilty as it’s not _really_ the reason.  
“Besides, I really do need some clothes. And then you and I can make dinner for everyone after.” He adds, and Louis nods.   
  
They go down to fetch Harry’s wallet and phone, and then they kiss for a good minute before Louis lets him leave.   
  
  
  
  
Louis has around four hours alone with Daisy and Phoebe.   
  
First they show him all the toys in their room, though he’s seen them all before except one new Barbie doll, and then they play with all the doll-related things they have.   
  
Louis is assigned to change clothes and brush hair and do the man voices for the two male dolls, and he quite enjoys it. It’s good watching his sister laugh and being able to laugh along.   
  
  
After they get sick of that, they go out in the driveway to draw on the pavement with tons of multicolored chalk.   
  
They draw flowers and animals and the entire family starting with dad and ending with Daisy, before Phoebe remembers that Harry has to be in there as well, and draws him with a brown bush on his head and a big smile, standing at the end and holding Daisy’s hand.   
  
At one point Louis grabs a pink chalk and draws a heart and, without really thinking about it, writes Harry’s name inside, but he quickly just fills the heart with pink, because he feels ridiculous.   
And then they spend a long time drawing one heart with each color around the picture of their family.   
  
Louis writes ‘Harry’ in them all, just because he can.   
  
  
  
When his mum, Lottie, Fizzy and Harry get’s back, they’re all smiling and chatting, and Lottie is somewhat batting her eyelashes at Harry and blushing every time he looks at her.   
  
Harry has five shopping bags, and the girls have at least three each, and Daisy and Phoebe jumps up from where they’re sitting watching a movie, to look through their bags.   
  
  
There’s also a bunch of grocery bags, and Louis helps his mum carry them inside and put the food in their place.   
  
“I think Lottie is crushing on Harry.” His mum says, and Louis snorts. “He’s been complimenting her all day, telling her she looks beautiful in her clothes.”   
It fills Louis with such warmth and fondness, that he actually feels a blush creep up his cheeks.   
  
“Yeah, he’s sweet like that.” He says, walking over to put some pasta in the cabinet and giving himself a few seconds to just smile at the thought of Harry gushing over his sisters outfits.   
  
“Did anything else happen?” He asks casually, leaning against the counter while she’s putting the last few things in the fridge.   
She sighs, knowing what he’s asking, and turns to him once she’s finished.   
  
“A few boys from Lottie’s class came over to her while the rest of us where looking through some skirts for the twins. Asked who Harry was, and if..” She takes a breath, looking at him with apologetic eyes. “..’if we’d finally ditched the cat freak and replaced him with a normal boy.’”   
  
“Did Harry hear?” He asks, eyes glued to his toes and the tip of his tail curling in between his legs.   
  
“Yeah.. He glared at them. Like, there was so much fire in his eyes, and he looked at me like ‘aren’t you gonna do something?’ and when I shook my head he just walked out of the store.”   
  
“But he didn’t approach them himself?” She shakes her head.   
  
“Good. Anything else?”   
  
“Just stares and mumbles, nothing unusual.”  
  
  
When Louis walks out into the living room again, he finds that Harry has taken his spot on the couch, one twin curled into each side.   
  
They complain a little when he pulls Harry away from them, but it’s soon silenced when something exciting happens in the movie.   
  
They gather up Harry’s bags and then head down to Louis’ room, where Harry shows him what he’s bought.   
There’s ten boxers and three pairs of pants and then two shirts.   
  
“Only two shirts?” Louis asks, because it’s summer and warm, and they have kids in the house who spills stuff, and the chances of him wearing the same shirt two days in a row are slim.   
Harry pulls of the tags and walks over the closet, putting them on top of Louis‘ shirts.   
  
“Why buy more, when there are plenty here?” He says with a smile, and Louis rolls his eyes in response.   
  
  
“Hey, so listen.” Louis says, sitting down on the bed and then waits for Harry to join him. Once he does, he intertwines their fingers and brings Harry’s hand up to his mouth, giving it a chaste kiss.   
“Mum told me what happened at the mall. With Lottie and the boys..?”   
  
Harry nods, looking down at his knees.   
  
“Mum said you were upset she didn’t talk to those boys, and that’s really sweet of you, to, you know, feel that you should protect me like that. But they’ve tried, yeah, and it just made it worse for everyone. I’ve begged them to let it be, and just ignore it, so that’s why they do.”  He watches as Harry’s face changes from confusion to sadness and then till determination.   
  
“You can’t just let people treat you like that.’ He says, his jaw set and his eyebrows furrowed.   
Louis sighs, puts a hand on his cheek.   
  
“If it means that they’ll leave my family alone, then yes, I most definitely can.”   
  
“Louis..”   
  
“Harry.. This is my town, this is where I’ve grown up, I know how this works, okay? I know that you don’t get it, and it’s not like this in your world, but here, I’m the outsider, I’m the freak, and I deal with it in the way that will hurt my family the least.”   
  
Harry sighs, but nods, leaning his cheek into Louis’ hand.   
  
“I just hate seeing you hurt.” He mumbles, and Louis shrugs, swallowing away the small lump in his throat.   
  
  
  
Harry and Louis makes pasta for dinner, cause Louis has told everyone how good it is, and they’ve been looking forward to trying it.    
  
Well, actually, Harry makes pasta, while Louis sits on the kitchen counter and sings along to the radio and tells Harry where he can find things.   
It’s all good though, Harry likes to cook food _his_ way, and Louis doesn’t like to help, so it adds up.   
  
Occasionally, Harry steps in between Louis’ legs and kisses him, and it makes a pleasant buzz appear in his stomach each time.   
  
He knows that someone could walk in and see them, but he finds that he simply doesn’t care, it would still be worth it, and it all just makes him feel relaxed and happy.   
  
  
The food is great, Fizzy even eats the peas, and everyone compliments them both on it.    
Neither says anything, because Harry is too sweet and Louis likes to take credit for things he didn’t do.   
  
  
After, they give the twins a bath together.   
  
It’s filled with bubbles, and Harry plays around for so long that the girls’ fingers and toes get’s wrinkly and his mother knocks on the door and asks if everything’s alright.   
  
Louis teaches Harry to braid their wet hair, so they can have curls the next day, and then they tuck them into bed and read them a long fairytale.   
They both fall asleep before the story is done, but Harry asks Louis to read the rest, cause he’s never heard it before, and Louis rolls his eyes, but finishes it anyway.    
  
  
When they finally make their way downstairs it’s almost nine, and time for Fizzy to get to bed.   
  
She changes to her PJ’s and brushes her teeth and then she comes back down to say good night.   
It’s the usual routine, kissing them all on the cheek as a good night, and she only hesitates for a second before kissing Harry’s cheek as well.   
  
  
The rest of them decides to watch a movie.   
  
His parents are sitting on one end of the couch, Lottie lying across with her bare feet in his mums lap, getting a relaxing foot rub that makes Louis feel a tad jealous, and her head on a pillow.   
  
That leaves the loveseat part of the couch for them, but Louis really doesn’t mind.   
Harry crawls up first, and Louis gets in between his legs.   
  
They’re both a little tense, wondering if anyone are gonna comment, but then Harry starts playing with his tail, and he relaxes instantly, his entire body leaning up against Harry’s.   
  
He can see that the other notices it, their gaze falls on the movement between his tail and Harry’s hand, but no one says anything.   
  
Louis figures he might as well tell them with actions instead of words, since they’re all paying attention to them, so he covers Harry’s other hand with his, and links their fingers together, his palm against the back of Harry’s hand.   
  
Harry drops a soft peck to Louis’ head, and then Lottie frowns and his parents smiles knowingly, and the movie starts, and that’s the end of that.   
  
  
  
  
Later, when they’ve all gone to bed, Louis finds himself lying on his back with Harry kissing down his chest.   
  
He’s already panting and hard, because they’ve been making out and grinding for a while before Harry pulled away to do this.   
  
He trails openmouthed kisses down, down, down, his lips never leaving Louis’ skin, and it makes Louis feel warm all over.   
  
Harry stops to look up at him when he reaches his boxers, and as soon as he catches Louis’ eye, he pulls them down.   
He smiles down at his cock, as if he’s greeting a friend, and it makes Louis let out a breathless laugh in disbelief.   
  
Harry either doesn’t notice, or doesn’t care, just he simply strokes him a few times and then takes him in his mouth.   
  
  
The thing is, Harry is really good at this.   
In fact, Harry is magnificent at this, and Louis gets so, so close in a very short time.   
  
He’s about to tell Harry to slow it down, because it can’t have been more than a few minutes, and his toes are already curling in anticipation, but he’s stopped abruptly.   
  
Harry reaches his hand over to Louis’ tail and he traces his fingertips up the fur, and Louis goes soft.   
  
It’s embarrassing, going soft like that while he’s still inside Harry’s mouth, but the thing is he tends to forget he has his fucking tail and ears when he does this, and Harry knows it.   
  
He can’t, he just simply can’t find anything arousing about having a furry, misplaced limb growing out of the top of his arse.   
Hybrid parts is a turn off, it’s the biggest fucking turn off there is, and Louis groans as he puts his forearm over his eyes, because great; he just ruined the mood.   
  
  
As expected, Harry pulls his mouth off.   
  
He looks up at Louis with a small frown, and then he gives his tail a last stroke before letting it go.   
  
What is _not_ expected though, is that he starts working on him with his hand again, quick, tight movements, that slowly coax Louis back to hardness.   
  
  
When Harry starts blowing him again, he keeps his hands firmly on Louis’ hips, and a few minutes later, Louis comes.   
  
Harry works him through, swallowing all the mess and then he moves and peppers kisses up Louis’ tail.   
Louis is still coming down, so he doesn’t really comment on it, and Harry pulls away and cuddles up to him.   
  
He grabs Louis’ tail and wraps it around his own waist.   
  
“You’re perfect. All of you.” He mumbles, and then he playfully bites his ear, and Louis is too stunned to do anything but lie there and blush.   
  
  
  
  
  
They spend a few days just lazing about and playing with his sisters and catching up with his parents.   
  
But then it’s Friday, and it’s his parents anniversary.   
  
They had already planned it out a while ago.   
All the girls would have sleepovers with different friends, seeing as their parents are going in to town, and that’s almost two hours away.   
They’re gonna spend the night at a hotel, and go to the opera and have an expensive dinner with wine.   
  
Basically, Louis and Harry has the house to themselves.   
  
  
Everyone is gone by six, and Harry cooks them a dinner and there’s candles on the table, and Louis kinda feels like he’s in a romantic movie.   
  
They wash up together after dinner, and then Louis blows Harry against the fridge, and Harry blows Louis on the kitchen counter.   
After that, they cuddle up on the couch and watch a movie.   
  
  
  
When Harry suggests that they go and buy ice cream and chocolate at the grocery store at 10:30 pm, Louis is hesitant.   
  
He turns Harry down three times, but the thing is; he really wants ice cream as well, and they don’t have any in the house.   
  
In fact, they don’t have any sweets at all, because the twins are nosy and they love sugar, and they always, _always_ , manage to find it, no matter where it’s hidden.   
  
  
It’s a bad idea, that’s the thing.   
  
  
Louis never goes to the shop alone, in fact, he never goes out alone at all.   
  
He did try once, when he was fourteen and the twins where babies and they had colic, which made them scream a lot, and Fizzy was running around screaming as well, because she wanted her parents attention, and Louis had a headache.   
  
He had figured some fresh air would’ve been nice, just a walk up and down the street, but some high schoolers found him, and they beat him up so bad he had to be taken to the ER to be stitched up.   
  
  
He’s pretty safe if he goes out with his parents, because even though people don’t like them, they respect them, or with the twins, since they’re so young and innocent.   
  
He used to be safe with Lottie and Fizzy as well, but people have decided that they’re old enough to watch their brother be harassed now.   
  
  
He’s never actually walked outside with a friend, because well, he doesn’t have any.   
He has a few mates at school, but they’re not close, and even if they were they would never set foot in a human city, so he don’t know if people would behave or not.   
  
  
In the end, the craving for sugar wins, though, and besides, who spends their Friday night at a grocery store anyway, right?   
  
  
  
They walk right around a block and a half before they meet anyone.   
  
It’s two middle aged men, and one of them spits in Louis’ hair as he passes them, the other roars with laughter.   
Harry stops, and Louis can tell that he’s about to turn around and do something stupid, so he roughly grabs his arm and yanks him forward.   
  
“Let it go.” He says, and though Harry clearly doesn’t, he at least doesn’t try to run after them.   
  
  
The rest of the walk is fine, and the store is practically empty when they get there.   
  
  
Louis leads him around the store, picks up some crisps, and then heads towards the chocolate.   
  
Suddenly, the store is filled with voices, as a group of people obviously has entered, and Louis stiffens.   
  
He picks a few chocolate bars at random, and tugs at Harry’s arm to get him to move.  
  
  
It is in times like these that Louis is glad he hears as well as he do, so he can locate where they are compared to them, and hopefully escape them.   
  
They hurry over to the freezers, Harry clearly understanding that something is wrong, and pick out an ice cream box each.   
  
They make it to the register and Louis can hear that the group of people is nearby, but if they hurry, he still thinks they might make it.   
There are some coolers by the register, so they grab two pepsi’s and then they put all the stuff down.   
  
  
They both jolt when the dude sitting there whistles extremely loudly using his pinky fingers, and when Louis looks up, he quickly recognizes him.   
Luke.  
  
It only takes a few seconds before the group of  five-six teens stands there, big grins on their faces.   
  
“Pussyboy!” Eric, who’s usually the leader of whatever people he’s with, says delightfully. “You know, I actually thought you were dead after you went missing. Sad to see you’re still here.” Louis swallows, stares at his items and just prays that   
Luke will scan them so they can go.   
  
He doesn’t.   
  
  
“And who is this?” He says then, looking at Harry. “You found yourself another little kitten?” He walks around him, clearly checking for a tail, and Louis can’t help but roll his eyes.   
  
“A human? I’m surprised! How much did he pay you to be his friend?” The others laugh at this.   
He can tell that Harry is itching to answer, but he stays silent. If they don’t react, they’ll eventually bore and let them go.   
  
  
“Oh, but Pussyboy.” He says then, tsking. “You can’t eat all this candy! Starting to get a little fat, aren’t you?” He pats Louis’ stomach as he says it, steps around him in slow circles as the rest of them nods in agreement.   
  
“Maybe you should eat some more proteins, you know, cats are supposed to keep a healthy diet, it keeps their fur shinier.” He runs his finger down Louis’ tail as he says it, and it makes him shiver.   
  
It’s so different from the way Harry touches it, and Louis had forgotten how that felt like.   
  
“Maybe some more cat food? I’m sure you’ve eaten up what I gave you that Christmas.”  
  
  
At this point, the manager of the store walks past, and for some glorious, yet incomprehensible reason, he tells Luke to get on with his work and scan the items.   
  
Luke does as he’s told, though slowly, and when Louis goes to hand him the money, he cringes as he touches it.   
  
  
Harry bags their stuff, and then Louis takes his change and they head towards the doors.   
  
Except Louis can’t move.   
He turns to see that Eric has taken a hold of his tail, and he’s gripping it painfully tight.   
  
“Who said you’re allowed to leave?” He growls, yanking his tail and making Louis loose his balance, stumbling backwards.   
  
“Fucking disgusting, you are, should’ve known better than to come back to our town.”   
  
Louis turns to him, refusing to let any hurt show on his face.   
  
He keeps his features straight, bored, and wills the tears that are  threatening to fill up his eyes away.  
They stare at each other for a while, neither talking.   
  
“Can you please let us go?” Louis finally says, surprised at how steady his voice sounds. Eric hums, tapping his finger against his chin, and Louis can literary hear Harry grinding his teeth.   
  
“How ‘bout.. You say: ‘I’m a filthy animal who’s inferior to all humans. No one will ever love me.  And I’m worth nothing more than a street cat.’, and then I’ll let you go.” Louis sighs and rolls his eyes.   
  
“I’m a filthy animal who‘s inferior to all humans-”   
  
“Yes you are. Get down on all four and start over.”   
  
  
Had Louis been on his own, he wouldn’t really have cared about this, at least no one’s kicking or beating him.   
But Harry is there, and _that’s_ what makes it all humiliating.   
He can hear a strangled noise leave Harry’s throat as he get’s down on all fours on the dirty floor.   
  
“I’m a filthy animal who’s inferior to all humans, no one will ever love me and I’m worth nothing more than a street cat.”   
  
“I’m not convinced Pussyboy. Again. And say it like you mean it, we both know you do.”   
Louis takes a deep breath, frustrated tears filling his eyes, and it makes him even more upset, because _fuck_ he doesn’t want them to know they’re getting to him.   
  
“I’m a filthy animal, and all of you humans are superior to me, okay? No one will ever love me! I’m not worth anything more than a street cat!” He’s breath is ragged when he finishes, and Eric has a satisfied smirk across his face.   
  
“I dunno, maybe we should make him eat some cat food, you know, when he’s already down there.” One of the girls suggests, and Eric’s face fills with something that can only be described as pride.   
  
“Nah, don’t. He’ll puke and I’ll have to clean it up.” Luke is hesitant when he speaks, but they all agree that watching him puke wouldn’t be very fulfilling anyway.   
  
“Right, off you go then kitty cat. Crawl you’re way out of here.” Louis turns, still on all four, and crawls past  Harry and out the doors.   
  
“Oh, and hey! Next time you disappear, make sure it’s for good!”  
  
  
He ignores Harry calling his name, not wanting to even look at him.  
Harry eventually steps in front of him though, and wraps his arms under Louis’ armpits and pulls him up.   
  
“Christ..” he mutters, taking Louis’ hands and brushing the gravels off his palms, before bending and doing the same to his jean-clad knees.   
  
Once Harry stands up again, he cradles Louis’ face in his warm hands, and just looks at him, emotions swimming across his face so fast Louis can‘t grasp any of them.   
Eventually, his features ends on something soft and sad, and it makes Louis’ own eyes blurry, so he pushes Harry off him, and walks home as quickly as he can.  
  
  
Once they’re inside, Harry crowds him again, trying to pull him into a hug.   
Louis shakes him off though, walks into the kitchen with the bag, to put the things they bought away.   
  
“Louis, please don’t shut me out.” Harry pleads, and the softness of his voice makes Louis cringe.  
  
“I think you should leave.” He answers, which wasn’t really his plan.   
  
“What?”   
  
“I  think, maybe, you should leave now.” He doesn’t really want him to, but it’s better that he walks away now than later, isn’t it? Harry just stares at him dumbfounded.   
  
“You’re insane if you really think I’m just gonna leave you like that.” He replies, still with that same soft edge to his voice.   
  
  
Louis doesn’t answer, instead he busies himself putting the ice cream in the freezer and the chocolate and soda in the fridge.   
It’s not like he has an appetite anymore.   
  
Harry stays silent, watching him carefully, and Louis feels so fragile he can’t take it.   
  
“This is how the world works okay, this is how it’s supposed to be, and you’re just fooling yourself thinking it’s not.” It’s calm and collected, because Louis isn’t throwing out emotions, he’s just explaining the reality.   
  
“No, no it’s not! They’re not worth anything more than you! They are fucked up humans living in a fucked up town, it doesn’t mean they’re right!”   
  
“Off course they are superior! I’m an animal, Harry, I’ve got a fucking tail!”   
  
“You’re a _hybrid_.”   
  
“I’m a freak! It’s not natural, it’s not right; it’s disgusting! _I’m_ disgusting.” Harry rushes forward, taking Louis face in his hands and forcing him to hold his gaze.   
  
“No you’re not! You’re a beautiful and amazing person!” Harry’s eyes are searching his, trying to bore through his soul and Louis can’t take it.   
  
He pushes Harry away for what feels like the hundredth time today.   
  
“I’m going to bed.”   
  
  
Once Louis has gotten his clothes off and crawled in to bed, he let’s his hearing take over, following Harry’s moves.   
  
He’s pacing, he can tell, walking back and forth across the kitchen floor, and even from here, Louis can hear how harsh his breathing is.   
  
Harry walks out of the kitchen then, and he wonders if he’ll leave like Louis told him to.   
  
Instead, the tap in the bathroom starts running, and then there are splashing, followed by silence.   
After a minute or so, Harry walks into the hall and locks the door, before turning off all the lights and walking down the stairs.   
  
“I  know you’re not sleeping.” Harry says as he enters the room.   
Louis opens his eyes slightly, and watches as Harry dresses down to his boxers and turns off the lights in their room as well.   
  
The bed dips, and Harry lies down close to Louis, leaving a gap between their bodies, and Louis can feel his skin crawl with the need to feel Harry’s warmth.   
  
He doesn’t do anything about though, and neither does Harry.   
  
  
They lie for a while, Louis just listening to Harry’s breaths and waiting for him to fall asleep, but Harry eventually starts talking instead.   
  
“I feel like you were doing so great, you know? When you stayed with me and mum. I could see your confidence growing a lot, and it just breaks my heart that it took less than a week to shatter it all.” Louis sighs, turning his head towards Harry.   
  
He can make the outline of his face, can see that he’s looking at the ceiling, can hear his heartbeat raising with every second that passes with silence.   
  
“Do you ever think some people are just meant to be alone?” He mumbles.   
  
“If someone wants to be alone, doesn’t like being around people, then yeah, I guess.”   
  
“I feel like I’m meant to be alone.” He replies and Harry turns towards him, even though Louis knows he can’t actually see him.   
  
“Is that what you want?” Louis swallows.   
  
“No.”   
  
“Then you’re not gonna be.” Harry says, like it’s a fact.   
  
  
“I could tell that you meant it, you know. What he made you say.”   
  
“It’s things I’ve been told my entire life.” There’s a movement, and then Harry’s hands curls around Louis, his fingers filling up the gaps between his own.   
  
“That doesn’t make it true.”   
  
“It sure as hell is easy to believe.” Harry sighs, his thumb running soothing circles over the back of Louis’ hand.   
  
“We’re all pack animals, you know? We’re all scared of being different and alone. And that’s kinda the thing, when two, or three, or four, or everyone goes against another person, then that person becomes an outsider, which makes the rest of them a group. It doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with the outsider, just something different.”   
  
“Different isn’t necessarily good.”   
  
“But it’s not always bad either.”   
  
  
“Do you think some people are just meant to kill themselves?” He mumbles moments later, so low he’s not sure if Harry will hear it.   
The sharp intake of breath tells him he did.   
  
“No! Do you-”   
  
“I used to.” He says, not letting Harry finish the question. “I used to think that maybe I was meant to do it so that, I don’t know, the bullies would feel bad and it would be their lesson learned or something.”   
  
“ _Lou_..”  
  
“It was never a strong thought or anything, just…   
I haven’t thought about it since I met you, though.” Harry let’s go of his hand, and instead rolls over to embrace him.   
He nuzzles into Louis neck and breathes out a ‘good’, and Louis automatically curls into him as well.   
  
  
  
When Louis wakes up the next morning it’s to Harry caressing his face.   
  
“Morning.” He whispers, forcing his eyes to open. Harry smiles in response, leans down and kisses him softly. “’time is it?”   
  
“A little past nine.”   
  
“That’s early!” He protests, closing his eyes and sinking deeper into the warm bed.   
  
“Your family will be back in a couple of hours. I thought you might want to..” Harry stops talking, and when Louis opens his eyes again, he’s biting his lip, eyes dark.   
  
“I don’t have.. like lube or condoms or anything.”   
  
“Well you have some lotion or something though?” Harry asks, to witch Louis nods. “and I’m clean…?” Louis nods.   
  
“They checked me when I was at the hospital. I’m clean.”   
  
  
The lotion smells strongly of artificial strawberries, and it’s not as convenient as lube, but they make do.   
  
Harry spends minutes upon minutes just kissing Louis’ body and showering him with compliments, and once he’s finally inside, Louis is blushing from the tips of his ears till below his nipples for several reasons.   
  
  
It’s good, and it’s slow, and it’s perfect, really.   
  
He doesn’t even go completely soft when Harry kisses his ears and rakes his nails down his tail, and even though those things only lasts for a few seconds, it’s still progress.   
  
  
After they’ve both come, Louis just lies there, completely boneless, while Harry get’s a warm cloth and washes them off.   
  
Then they make out till Louis can’t breathe, and Harry picks him up and carries him upstairs, where he dumps him on the couch and comes back with one of the ice creams they bought the night before and two spoons.   
  
  
They don’t talk about what happened last night, nor about the talk they had, and it’s exactly the way Louis wants it to stay.   
  
When the ice cream is gone, and they kiss again, both their tongues are cold, and it’s weird, but it’s _Harry_ , so it’s good nevertheless.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
Two weeks later Louis get’s the first three letters back from uni.   
  
He applied late, and he knows that he might not get into any of them, so his hopes aren’t to high, as he settles down on the couch next to Harry.   
  
  
Two  of them are from the next town over, where he applied for one cheap and one expensive  uni.  
  
He opens the one from the cheapest one first, he doesn’t get in, but he’s not to upset about it.   
  
He does get into the more expensive one, though if he attends that school, he has to live at home to afford it, and he doesn’t know if he can muster up the will to do just that.   
  
  
The third one is from a uni a couple of towns over, in the wrong direction from Harry, but he doesn’t get in there either.   
  
  
He doesn’t respond to the one he got into, wanting to see if he gets in somewhere else first, but he’s pretty sure he’ll decline the offer anyway.   
  
  
He applied to both of the uni’s in Harry’s town, and he get’s letters from them three days later.   
  
He gets into the waiting list on one of them, place 21, and at least that’s something.  
The other one says that they’re unfortunately full, but if he reapplies for the spring semester they’d be more than happy to find a spot for him.   
  
The sixth and seventh ones, both in hybrid towns in between here and Harry, turns him down.   
  
  
When the eight, and final, letter comes, 9 days after he got the first ones, he takes Harry with him downstairs, to open it up.   
  
This uni is in a mixed town about an hour away from Harry.   
  
“If I don’t get into this one, I think I might wanna go back with you, and get my job back and then reapply for the spring term at Edge Hill.” Harry smiles brightly and nods in agreement.   
  
  
He’s put on the waiting list at the last uni as well, but this time he’s number four, and chances are that he actually will get in there.   
It says that if he get’s in, he’ll hear from them within the next month.   
  
  
He tells his family over dinner that he’ll stay for a couple of more weeks, and then go back to Harry and either stay, or start at the uni, depending on what happens with the waiting list.   
  
Phoebe cries when she understands that Louis is leaving again soon, which makes Daisy cry as well, and before they know it all the girls, his mum included, has tears in their eyes.   
  
  
  
When Harry and Louis are lying in bed later, short of breath and with their bodies intertwined, Harry tells him he thinks he should leave in a few days, to let Louis have some alone time with his family.   
Louis protests at first, but Harry insists, and he finally gives in, though reluctantly.   
  
“I’ll miss you though.” Louis mumbles, and Harry kisses him softly.   
  
“And I’ll miss you.”   
  
“Harry?” He waits till Harry lifts his head to look at him, and when he does, his nerves kick in. “Never mind.” He says, but Harry shifts to keep their gaze locked.   
  
“What?” He asks softly.   
  
“Just.. Um, are we boyfriends?” He hopes they are, even though it’s wrong and species aren’t supposed to mix and it will never last.   
  
But, he’s a procrastinator, he’d rather take the heartbreak later, than now.   
Better to have loved and lost and whatnot.    
  
 Harry smiles, his eyes crinkling at the corners.   
  
“Off course we are.” He replies, making Louis’ smile match his own.   
  
  
  
  
Louis is pretty much sulking the entire morning off the day Harry leaves.   
  
Harry wakes him up with a blow job, which really, should put a smile on his face, but it also reminds him of the fact that he’ll be sleeping alone for the next week.   
  
His dad is driving Harry to the bus station on his way to work, which means he’s leaving eight am, and it’s too early, and the sky is too blue, and sun is too warm.   
  
  
  
Breakfast goes by in a hurry, everyone is awake to have a last meal with Harry, and they’re all trying to talk the loudest, while Louis holds Harry’s hand under the table and picks at his food silently.   
  
Harry squeezes his hand when Louis’ frown gets too deep, which makes Louis smile, which make Harry smile, which makes  Louis grin, which makes Harry beam, and everything is okay for a few minutes, until he remembers that Harry is leaving again.   
  
  
After breakfast, Harry brushes his teeth while Louis puts Harry’s stuff in the car, and before he knows it, everyone is hugging Harry goodbye.   
  
“Take off your shirt.” Harry says, when it’s his turn, and Louis’ brows furrow in confusion, but he does what he’s told.   
Harry takes off his as well, and then hands it to Louis, taking Louis’ shirt and pulling it on.   
  
Louis knows his family is watching, he can hear his mum and Lottie smile, and he knows he’s  blushing as he puts Harry’s shirt on and pulls him into a tight hug.   
  
“Be strong for me, yeah? Only ten more days.” Louis nods against Harry’s neck, and hugs him tighter, cause really, how is he gonna survive without Harry?   
  
They already kissed goodbye downstairs, but Louis can’t help himself, places a soft kiss on Harry’s lips as they pull apart.   
  
  
  
Louis stands on the steps outside the door as he watches the car drive away.   
Some kids cycles past their house, and one of them yells ‘freak’, and his smile only falters a bit.   
  
Ten days.   
  
He can manage that. 


End file.
